Driving global change with Boost at Bosch

Bosch is multinational engineering and technology company founded by Robert Bosch in Stuttgart in 1886. It is best known for its automotive parts, refrigerators, and power tools with nearly $100 billion in revenue. It has embarked on a significant shift from a product-centric to a software-centric enterprise to respond to changing markets. The Mobility division, which is automotive products, makes up 60% of the revenue.

It launched a major transformation project called boost.Mobility. Boost stands for BOsch One Salesforce Transformation. The project impacts the 12,000 Salesforce users across 8 divisions and 6 process streams. The Bosch Salesforce implementation is complex even though it is only 4 years old. It already has over 20 million records, 500 custom objects and 6,000 Apex Classes. And this is not counting Managed Packages.

The current implementation was designed for a model where the product was a physical item manufactured and shipped to a motor manufacturer like BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen. The move to support a new software and content-driven business model was an opportunity to streamline and improve the Salesforce implementation approach and ROI.

The Boost.Mobility project

Nils Heblich-Menke, Chief Product Owner at Bosch, presented in London, and a recording of the event is below.

Video highlights

Elements.cloud Change Intelligence Platform was selected to support the boost.Mobility project. This was because it provided connected documentation capabilities and the insights into Salesforce org metadata at scale. Nils gives background on the project, the challenges, the approach they have taken, and he gives a demonstration of the documentation that is created and managed in Elements.cloud. This blog is an overview of the session.

Boost.Mobility project challenges

There were challenges due to the complexity and scale of the business operation and technology landscape. These shaped the project approach and underlying principles that are listed later in this blog:

Cost

The initial high costs of Bosch’s Salesforce implementation were driven by the sheer complexity and scale of their business processes. Implementing a system that integrates seamlessly with Bosch’s global operations required significant investment. The high cost was further compounded by the need to accommodate fluctuating processes and the existence of disconnected or missing documentation. This lack of comprehensive documentation made it difficult to understand the full scope of each project, leading to additional costs as unforeseen issues arose during implementation.

To mitigate these costs, Bosch focused on streamlining their processes. By leveraging the Elements.cloud platform, Bosch could create a centralized repository for all documentation, ensuring that every process step was clearly defined and accessible. This transparency allowed for better planning and risk management, reducing the likelihood of costly errors and rework. 

Bosch implemented a rigorous “Idea to Release” process that ensured every new feature or change was thoroughly vetted before development began. This meticulous approach helped to control costs by preventing unnecessary work and minimizing the risk of unforeseen complications.

Risk

The complexity of Bosch’s Salesforce implementation introduced significant risks, particularly related to incomplete documentation and the difficulty in assessing the impact of changes. In the early stages, the system frequently broke when new features were developed, primarily because the full picture of the existing configuration was not clear. This uncertainty made it challenging to anticipate the effects of new changes, leading to unexpected disruptions.

To address these risks, Bosch adopted several strategies. The Elements.cloud platform played a crucial role in this effort by providing a comprehensive view of all metadata, their dependencies, and related documentation. This centralized approach allowed Bosch to assess risks more accurately and make informed decisions. By insisting on complete documentation for every change, Bosch ensured that all potential impacts were considered before any development work began.

This proactive approach to risk management was further supported by the integration with Jira, which facilitated synchronized requirement management and improved coordination between business and development teams. The ability to assess the impact of dependent metadata changes reduced the likelihood of unforeseen disruptions and accelerated the delivery of new features.

Size

The sheer size and complexity of Bosch’s Salesforce implementation presented significant challenges. With over 20 million records, 500 custom objects, and 6,000 Apex classes, the system had high levels of configuration and technical debt. Managing such a vast and intricate system required a robust approach to ensure that it remained efficient and scalable.

Bosch addressed these challenges by implementing a strict ownership principle. Each component of the system, whether it was a custom object, managed package, or process diagram, had a designated owner responsible for its maintenance and oversight. This clear assignment of responsibilities ensured that every part of the system was well-managed and that any issues could be quickly identified and resolved.

Additionally, Bosch utilized data to monitor the usage and performance of different system components. By analyzing this data, Bosch could identify underutilized features or areas that needed optimization, allowing them to allocate time in each release to make targeted improvements that enhanced the overall efficiency of the system.

Speed

One of the major challenges Bosch faced was the long development cycles, which resulted in low customer satisfaction. In the past, some features took months to get into production, causing frustration among users and delaying the delivery of valuable functionality.

To improve development speed, Bosch implemented a more streamlined and disciplined approach to their development process. The “Idea to Release” process ensured that every new feature or change was thoroughly planned and documented before any work began. This rigorous approach reduced the likelihood of encountering unexpected issues during development, allowing teams to work more efficiently and deliver features faster. Additionally, the integration with Jira facilitated better coordination between business and development teams, ensuring that everyone was aligned and working towards the same goals. By reducing the time it took to bring new features to production, Bosch significantly improved internal customer satisfaction and enhanced the overall agility of their operations.

Efficiency

Efficiency was a critical concern for Bosch, particularly in the design and implementation of new processes and features. The lack of business analysis rigor and the existence of numerous unused fields and objects within the Salesforce system contributed to inefficiencies. These issues made it challenging to streamline processes and ensure that new features were implemented effectively. 

Bosch tackled these efficiency challenges by adopting a comprehensive approach to documentation and process management with Elements.cloud. They implemented the UPN methodology for process mapping, which provided a clear and standardized way to visualize and analyze business processes. This methodology helped teams identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement, allowing them to design more effective processes from the outset. The integration of Elements.cloud with Salesforce also meant that process changes could be tracked and managed within the same system, further enhancing efficiency.

Elements.cloud allowed Bosch to enforce proper documentation practices, ensuring that every new requirement was thoroughly documented, including the rationale behind decisions. This level of detail made it easier for teams to understand and implement new processes without duplicating efforts or encountering unexpected issues.

The ownership principle played a crucial role in boosting efficiency as well. By assigning clear ownership for each process and metadata item, Bosch ensured that there was always someone responsible for maintaining and improving these components. This accountability helped prevent inefficiencies from going unnoticed and ensured that every part of the system was optimized for performance.

Overall, these strategies enabled Bosch to significantly enhance the efficiency of their Salesforce implementation, ensuring that new processes and features could be designed and implemented quickly and effectively. This improvement in efficiency not only reduced costs and development time but also contributed to higher overall satisfaction among Bosch’s internal and external stakeholders.

4 core principles: Reengineering and retooling implementations

Underpinning the Boost project were 4 key principles and to deliver them required a robust platform for analysis and documentation. This is why Bosch selected Elements.cloud.

01: Idea 2 Release Process

The “Idea to Release Process” is designed to manage the complexities of Bosch’s diverse and expansive operations. This process ensures that all new features and changes are thoroughly vetted and planned before implementation. By establishing a clear pathway from conceptualization to deployment, Bosch minimizes the risk of errors and ensures that all changes are aligned with strategic goals. This rigorous approach involves multiple stages of review and approval, ensuring that every aspect of a new feature is understood and documented before any coding begins. This meticulous planning phase also helps in identifying potential risks early, thereby preventing costly mistakes later in the development cycle.

02: Ownership 

The principle of ownership at Bosch is applied meticulously across all areas of the business. This means assigning specific individuals or teams to be responsible for different aspects of the Salesforce implementation. For example, each custom object, managed package, and process diagram has an owner. This ensures accountability and continuity, particularly in a large organization where staff turnover can lead to significant knowledge gaps. By having clear ownership, Bosch can quickly reassign responsibilities when someone leaves, ensuring that there is always someone knowledgeable about each part of the system. This approach also fosters a culture of responsibility and care, as each owner is deeply invested in the quality and performance of their area.

03: Data

In the Boost project, metadata is not just a byproduct of operations but a critical tool for risk assessment and decision-making. Bosch uses metadata extensively to understand how different parts of the system interact and to identify potential issues before they become problems. This proactive use of data involves analyzing metadata and operational data to spot trends and anomalies. For instance, by tracking how often certain features are used or how data flows through the system, Bosch can identify underutilized components or bottlenecks that need to be addressed. This data-driven approach ensures that all decisions are based on solid evidence, reducing guesswork and improving the overall efficiency of the system.

04: Documentation

Complete and standardized documentation is essential for the smooth operation and ongoing development of Bosch’s Salesforce implementation. This documentation is not just a static record but a dynamic tool that evolves with the system. Bosch ensures that all documentation is linked to the actual metadata and processes it describes, creating a living document that reflects the current state of the system. This approach makes it easier for new team members to get up to speed and for existing members to understand the rationale behind past decisions. Standardizing documentation across a large team also ensures that everyone is on the same page, reducing confusion and errors.

Change Intelligence Boost

Elements.cloud Change Intelligence Platform proved to be an invaluable tool across the Boost project. It supported a shared, centralized view of all the documentation standards and formats. This was across all stages of the implementation process, from Idea to Release. Using UPN process diagrams improved shared ownership and understanding of the business processes and the required changes to Salesforce. The integration with Jira enabled synchronized requirement management so the development teams were coordinated with the business. The integration with Salesforce accelerated onboarding of new team members, thereby reducing training time and improving productivity​​. The ability to assess the impact of any dependent metadata changes reduced risk and accelerated the speed that changes could be delivered. 

Strategic Goals

Bosch’s strategic goals with the Boost project were ambitious yet achievable. By aligning IT capabilities with business objectives, Bosch aims to create a more agile and responsive organization. This alignment involves linking process and data models with key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring that all activities support the company’s broader goals. By having a clear and detailed understanding of its current processes and systems, Bosch can make informed decisions about future changes, reducing the risk of disruptions and ensuring a smooth transition.

As Bosch looks to the future, the robust documentation and rigorous processes established through the Boost project will be crucial. The potential migration to Salesforce’s Manufacturing Cloud represents a significant change, but with the right tools and knowledge, Bosch is well-prepared to handle it. The lessons learned and best practices developed during the Boost project will guide Bosch in this next phase, ensuring that the company continues to innovate and improve its operations.

Connect with the Elements team today to discover the breadth of capabilities that our Change Intelligence Platform has to offer.